The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-23

vellous physical signs of power and authority
were expected. The suggestion was to man
ifest such "a sign" as would be effective in
Immediately commanding the belief of the
people in his Divine authority and power.
But he was sent into the world not to be a
mere wonder worker, but to be spiritual
power and infuence,-a teacher of truth and
worker of righteousness. The "tempter"
was vanquished by recalling another peril
nent declaration of the Scriptures: "Thou
shalt not tempt TRY or put on trial) the
LORD, thy GoD." deuteronomy vi. 16). Di-
vine aid and protection must not be expected
except in obedience to GoD, and when in
pursuit of truth and duty.
8. Again, the devil is represented as TAX
ing JESUS into an exceeding high mountain
and showing him the glory of all the king
doms of the world, and telling him that all
these and their glory he might have simply
by rendering homage and serving the tempt
err. The Jews conceived of their expected
Messiah as a conquering hero who would
subdue all the kingdoms of the world unto
his authority and establish universal king
dom of Israel. To meet this expectation of
his people was presented to JESUS mind as
an expedient for gaining the allegiance of
his oountrymen and accomplishing his Mes
sianic mission. So pronounced was this ex-
pectation of the people that afterward,
when he had begun his ministry, and proved
himself ga teacher sent from GoD," they
were disposed to take him by force to make
him king John vi. IA, 15). The form of
the temptation suggests ambition as the pos
sible tempter. While it is true that the king
doms of this world belong TO CHRIST as COPS
vicegerent, he must gain his kingdom and
glory by service and not by conquest and
command. The glorious title, "Lord of all,
could only be gained by emptying himself
of all ambition, and becoming servant of
COP and mankind philippians ii. 5-11). He
was found equal to his high calling of GoD.
In answer to the suggestion of the adversary
he said, SECT thee hence, for it is written,
Thou shalt worship the LORD. thy GoD. and
Him only shalt thou serve" deuteronomy
vi. 13). He would be obedient to the first
and fundamental commandment of the Law.
Then the trial was over ("the devil left him'');
his qualification for his Divine mission was
fully proved; he was able to triumph over
the devil and to destroy his works Hebrews
ii. IA, Is; 1. John lii 81, and angels (mes
sengers) came and ministered (food) unto
him.
The story of the temptation of JESUS ap-
pears in the form of an allegory. What oc-
Cured during the time of his retirement for
devout meditation and preparation in the
wilderness is described in dramatic language.
All that is described could not have literally
occurred. A devil can hardly be conceived
as taking JESUS from the wilderness to the
top of the Temple. A mountain from which
all the nations of the earth could have been
seen is physically impossible. The triumph
of truth and right over every suggestion of
evil in JESUS mind is described in meta
phorical style. Every form of temptation,
'the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and
the pride of life" q John ii. ICY is represent
ed. The story of the Lesson may be con-
sidered as the sequel of the Garden of Eden
allegory Genesis ii. Sill. See Lesson Study,
January 81. That is an account of the tri-
umph of temptation over man, and his con-
seuuent Punishment from the presence and
favor of GOD; this is an account of mans
victory over all forms of temptation, and
the ministry of angels that crowned his tri-
umph. JESUS is the head of every man and
the captain of our salvation. In Adam all
have sinned and come short of the glory of
COP. In CHRIST shall all be made alive and
attain unto the glory of his manhood.
Temptations are but tests of virtue. We are
to be strong in principle, so full of holy
thought, SO sensible of the word of GoD. that
we may stand the trial and come off more
than conquerors through him that loved Us
and gave himself for us.
Very few writers of the present day will
regard the story of the temptation as mar
rative of objective facts From Or
igen down to Schleiermacher, some have re-
garded it as vision or allegory-the SYM
bolic description of purely inward struggle;
even so literal and orthodox a commentator
as Calvin has embraced this view.-Farrar,
Life of CHRIST"
This account (of the temptation) is not to
be taken literally. 1t is an allegory. That
it is symbolical and not historical, see Lange,
Hase, Weiss, Olshausen, Neander, Ullman,
etc.-The Net0 Covenant.
The story is dramatic. One of the charac-
tiers is a real person-the other personihca
ton or generalization of reality. pro-
cess of thought, not of purpose, is put into
forms of language. JESUS in the wilderness
was tempted only as we are. His tempta-
ton was human not superhuman. On this
account he is truly our Example and Help:
sable to succor those who are tempted.-S.
S. Helper, January, 1880.